Collapsible and portable traffic signal



Feb. 9, 1932. w. F. OTTE COLLAPSIBLE AND PORTABLE TRAFFIC SIGNAL FiledMay 7, 1931 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR WER/VER /T O T5 ATTORNEYS Feb. 9,119,32. w. F. oTTE y COLLAPSIBLE AND PORTABLE TRAFFIC SIGNAL Filed May'7. 1931v 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 mvENToR WERNER E OTT f BY /AIp ATTORNEYSPatented Fels,J 2,

release WERNER r. oren, oF 4Niiw YORK, N. Y.k

ooLLarsiBLE AND PoRTABLn 'escarnio sIGNAL j Application filed May 7,

This invention relates to improvements in signaling devices and hasparticular refer-v ence to a collapsible and portable traitlc signal.

The device oi' the present invention is especiallyuserul in localitieswhere it would be impracticable to erect permanent trafic signals, suchas points where a signal is desirable only at certain t imes of the day,for instance, at intersections where` school children cross, and in manysuburban localities where the traiiic is abnormal tor only relativelysho-rt intervals.

An object or the invention is to provide4 an im roved sional or sim jleractical and sturdy construction, adjusted to operative which may bereadily position and collapsed so as to render it easily transportable.

The above and other objects will appear more clearly from the followingdetailed description, when taken in connectionwith the accompanyingdrawings, which illustrate preferred embodiments of the inventive idea.

In the 'drawings- Figure l is a vertical through one form orlongitudinal section the device, showing the elements thereofinoperative position;

Figure 2 is a transverse section through one of ,the signals and itssupport, taken on the line 2-2 oi"v Figurel v F iguie 3 is af section`on the-line r3--3 of Figure l 5 Figure #l is `a fragmentary verticallongitudinal section throu of the signals;

gli the support or one y Figure 5 is a sectional detail oli the meansfor ,supporting one standard of the device in its operative position andto connect said section to a rotatof the sections of the Figure 6 is anenlarged 'fragmentary vertical sectional view or the signal-supportingmeans;

Figure 7 is a rragmentaryl plan view thereof, taken on the line 7 7 ofFigure 6;

Figure 8 is an elevation of the signaling vice in'its collapsedposition; and

' Figure 9 is an elevation of a slightly different form or signalReferring more particularly to Figures-1 to ing device.

193 Serial No. 535,653.

y8, the device hereinjshown comprises atubular base'member l0constitutingthe lower section or' the standard of the device and at a.point adjacent the upper end or saidsection the same is dividedlongitudinally and transversely to fl'orm -pairs-of hinged supportinglegs 1l, one leg of each-pair having struck thererroina brace l2 hingedto Asaidleg and engageable lwith the otherleg of the pair,l as indicatedat 13, to retain the legs inth'eir operativeA supporting positions, Theupper endof the base member l0 is provided with an externallyscrew-threaded head '14; and mounted lor rotary movement within saidupperl end or the base member is asleeve-like lbearing member l5 havinga 'iange 16 extending into said head lll and engage'able with a ballbearing race l? whereby said bearing member may be vfreely rotated, thesain'ebei'ng held in place by a retaining ring 18 threaded into'saidhead. u Y The standard or" the device further comprises a tubularintermediate sectionl), the Vlower'end otwliich is closed and telescopes'within the bearing member l5 when said section is extended, and alsowithin thelower end or the base member l0 when the parts are in thecollapsed position shown in' Figure 8. ln order to support the section19v in `its Vextended position andto connect the same to the bearingmember leso as to rotate therewith, the lower end or the section 19'carries a pair of sliding latches 20 which are adapted to be projected;into openings 2l formed in the lower end or the' bearing member-i5. Thesection 19 is provided with a handle 22 Aformed of two lengths ofmaterial struck :trom said section, one or said lengths being hinged at23 and pivotally connected at 24k to the other section so that, whenthe` handle is not in use 19 and is engaged by sliding latches 28carried by the latter to support the section 25 in its extendedposition.

The sect-ion 25 constitutes a signal armsupporting member, the upper endof which carries a plurality of signal arms 29, each pivoted inl theangle between two adjacent plates 26 by means ot a ring 30 extendingthrough said plates, and each being of segmental form in cross-sectionand hollow to provide a compartment 31, as best" shown in Figure 2. Theinner end of each signal arm 29 is provided with anextension 32 slot-tedat its free end to receive a screw-threaded stud 33 carried by the topof the section 25 when said` arms are `swung to their operative orIlaterally` extending position relative to said Asection. To maintainsaid arms in this position, a .cap 34 is threaded upon the stud 33 landengaged `with tlieuppermOSt superim- --posed extensions Vhen the cap 34is in this posi-tion it is adapted to receive and have secured'ltherein,in any suitable manner, a I visual-signal, such as a lantern 35, andwhen VVthe device is collapsed as shown in Figure 8, Isaid cap isadapted to be threaded upon the Lhead '14, it being provided withinternal i. screw-threads `ior this purpose.

`Suitably supported by each arm 29 and: fextendfuig through thecompartment 31 therein is a roller 36, one end of which projects-tliroughhthe outer end oi the arm (Figure 4)1\and is provided with aknob 37 by which said roller is turned. The-roller car- *arml 29 at eachend of thel slotI 40 therein a I `rguide 41 of-clianneled formati-onwhich is ries al'lexible .signal 39k having printed thereon or otherwiseapplied thereto either ofthe words ""'Stop7 or Go.

its operative positioii,there pivoted to the adapted, when ,dependingfrom the arm in a ticall edge of said signal.

vertical position, to receive the adjacent ver- TVlien the signal isWithdrawn into the compartment 31, the

two guides 41 vare `adapted to be swung upwardlyfinto-the slot 40 andmaintained therein byztrictional Contact with the edges thereof.

To collapse the device, the various signals are iirstwithdrawn intotheir respective compartments 31 by turning the rollers 36 and theguides 41 are then swung upwardly into-the slots 40 of their signalarms.

The cap 34 is then removed, permitting the arms 29 toA swing` downwardlyinto positions betweenthe plates 2G and longitudinally of the section25. y:The latter section is then allowed toftelescope entirely withinthe section 19 by G51-Q7, after whiclrthe portions otthe handle 221disengaging thelatches 23 from ythe sleeve are adjusted to theirinoperative position. Following this, the latches 20 are disengaged fromthe bearing 15, thus permitting the section 19 to drop into completetelescoping position relative to the base member 10. rEhe braces 12 arenow swung to their inoperative positions, allowing thev legs 11 to bemoved inwardly to closing position about the section 19 and the cap 34is then threaded upon the head 14.

ln Figure 9, the base section 42 is shown as a solid tubular memberwhich is adapted to be mounted in its operative position by inserting apin 43 at its lower end into a socliet embedded in the pavement at thepoint where the signal is to be erected. Otherwise, the construction oicthe device is exactly the same as that previously described.

lhat is claimed is:

1. A tra'liic signaling device comprising a base, a standard supportedby said base, signal arms pivoted te said standard and each including acompartment, a. rolleikin said compartn'ient, and al flexible .signal onsaid roller and movable therefrom to a depending position relative toits arm.

2. A traiiic signaling device comprising a base, a standard supported bysaidv base, signal arms pivoted tov said standard and each including acompartment, a roller in said compartment, a flexible signal on saidroller and movable therefrom to a depending position relative to itsarm, and guides for said signal pivoted to said arm.

3. A traic signaling device comprising a base, a standard supported bysaid base and including a signal arm-supporting member,

a plurality of signal arms pivoted to said memberl and having extensionsengageable therewith when said arms are in operative position, meansmounted on said supporting `member and engaging said extensions toretain said arms in their operative-positions, each ot said arms havinga compartment provided with la slot, a roller in said compartment, aflexible signal wound on said roller `for withdrawal to operativeposition from said compartment through said slot, and guides for saidsignal pivoted in `aid slot and depending Jfrom said arm when saidsignal is withdrawn.

4. A trailic signaling device comprising a base, astandard supported bysaid base and including a signal arm-supporting member consisting of aplurality of angularly disposed plates, a plurality of signal arms eachpivoted in the angle between twol adjacent plates and movable to aposition therebetween and-longitudinally thereof, and each havingextensions engageable therewith `when said arms yare in operativeposition, means mounted on said supporting member and engaging saidextensions to retain said arms intheir operative positions, and each ofsaid arms further having a compartment provided With a slot, a roller insaid compart ment, a flexible signal Wound on said roller for Withdrawalto operative vposition from said compartment through said slot, andguides for said signal pivoted in said slot and depending from said armWhen said signal is Withdrawn.

5. A traiiic signaling device comprising a tubular base member', abearing member rotatably supported therein, an intermediate standardsection telescoping Within said base and bearing members and movable toan extended position relative thereto, means to support said section inits extended position and to connect the same to said bearing member forrotation therewith, and signal means supported by said section.

6. A trafc signaling device comprising a tubular base member, a bearingmember rotatably supported therein, an intermediate standard sectiontelescoping Within said base and bearing members and movable to an extended position relative thereto, means to support said section in itsextended position and to connect-the same to said bearing member forrotation therewith, a top standard section telescoping Within saidintermediate section, means carried by the latter section andengage-able with the top section to maintain it in an extended position,and signal means carried by said top section.

In testimony whereof, I have affixed my signature.

WERNER F. OTTE.

